senior advisers said the president was set to make a small offer with the full support of reid and pelosi. nbc news has learned that a previous offered made by the president, the one that involved a tax increase for only those earning more than $400 is off the table. advisers say that was part of a bigger proposal that speaker boehner did not accept. it looks like the current proposal goes back to raising taxes on those who make more than $250,000. the proposal known as plan b didn't work. it will remain to be seen if the smaller plan will. either way the countdown to the if you year could be very costly. >> i'm hopeful that a deal will avoid the worst parts of a fiscal live cliff. >> the tax increases need to be averted, avoided. they can be. i think in the end we'll get a deal. the question is the timing of that. >> according to administration officials, senior white house staff will hold a conference call with some of the country's top business leaders within the half hour to brief them on negotiations. we're told the president will not be on that call. live in the newsroom, keith russ